Pausanias Analysis

Passage 10.29.3

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Passage 10.29.3: Depiction of Phaedra's death with Ariadne and Tityus.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

γέγραπται δὲ καὶ Τιτυὸς οὐ κολαζόμενος ἔτι, ἀλλὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ συνεχοῦς τῆς τιμωρίας ἐς ἅπαν ἐξανηλωμένος, ἀμυδρὸν καὶ οὐδὲ ὁλόκληρον εἴδωλον. ἐπιόντι δὲ ἐφεξῆς τὰ ἐν τῇ γραφῇ, ἔστιν ἐγγυτάτω τοῦ στρέφοντος τὸ καλῴδιον Ἀριάδνη· κάθηται μὲν ἐπὶ πέτρας, ὁρᾷ δὲ ἐς τὴν ἀδελφὴν Φαίδραν, τό τε ἄλλο αἰωρουμένην σῶμα ἐν σειρᾷ καὶ ταῖς χερσὶν ἀμφοτέραις ἑκατέρωθεν τῆς σειρᾶς ἐχομένην· παρεῖχε δὲ τὸ σχῆμα καίπερ ἐς τὸ εὐπρεπέστερον πεποιημένον συμβάλλεσθαι τὰ ἐς τῆς Φαίδρας τὴν τελευτήν.

English Translation

Also depicted is Tityus, no longer undergoing punishment, but having been utterly consumed over time by the continuous torment, now reduced to a faint and incomplete shade. Advancing in sequence through the painting, nearest to the figure winding the thread sits Ariadne upon a rock, gazing at her sister Phaedra, whose body is suspended by a rope, her hands gripping it on either side. Although the pose has been arranged with more elegance, it nevertheless clearly suggests the circumstances of Phaedra's death.

Proper Nouns

Tityos (Τιτυός) person
Phaedra (Φαίδρα) person
Ariadne (Ἀριάδνη) person
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